USA > Indiana > Wayne County > Richmond > Memoirs of Wayne County and the city of Richmond, Indiana; from the earliest historical times down to the present, including a genealogical and biographical record of representative families in Wayne County, Volume II Pt II > Part 34
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John M. Bond has been engaged in agricultural pursuits in the township of Webster the past twenty-two years and is one of the well known and highly esteemed citizens of the county. Mr. Bond was born near Carthage, in Rush county, Indiana, July 27, 1865. a son of William and Sarah (Jessup) Bond, the former born in
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Webster township, Wayne county, Oct. 13, 1838, and the latter in Carthage, Rush county, May 1, 1837. The father is now living at Fountain City, the mother having died in 1908. William Bond is a son of Jesse Bond, a pioneer of Wayne county who immigrated from North Carolina. John M. Bond secured his early education in the Walnut Ridge district school, in Rush county, where he con- tinued to reside until 1890, when he came to Wayne county. Pre- vious to that time he had rented land from his father, beginning his independent career at the age of twenty, and in April, 1890, took up his residence on a farm which he had purchased in Webster town- ship, and that place has ever since represented his home. He has the unequivocal confidence and esteem of the people of his section, and his farm of eighty acres is devoted to general agriculture and stock-raising. Mr. Bond is a stanch supporter of the principles and policies for which the Republican party stands sponsor and has been an efficient worker in its cause. He is a valued member of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he is trustee, and has membership in the Rebekahs. On Feb. 3, 1887, Mr. Bond was united in marriage to Miss Jennie L. Cheesman, born in Webster township, Oct. 6, 1864, a daughter of Vernon and Cathi- erine ( Longnecker) Cheesman, the former of whom died May 28. 1909, and the latter resides in Webster township. Mr. and Mrs. Bond have a daughter, Fannie .A., born Oct. 1, 1880, wife of William J. Feasel.
Jacob F. Fudge is one of the men who merits the high stand- ing accorded to him by the community in which he lives, for on all occasions his principles and actions have placed him among the most public-spirited and enterprising men of Webster township. He was born in Randolph county, Indiana. Dec. 10. 1860, and came to Wayne county in 1903. His father, John K. Fudge, was born in Preble county, Ohio, June 11, 1819, and his mother, Martha J. (Aker) Fudge, was born in that county and State, March 6, 1820. They were married in Preble county and soon after that event came to Indiana, locating near Winchester, in which vicinity they con- tinned to reside the residue of their lives, the father dying Feb. 20. 1803, and the mother, Feb. 16, 1906. They became the parents of ten children : Melissa A., wife of George W. Platt, a farmer in Franklin township, died March 3, 1911; Joseph A. is deceased ; the third child died in infancy, as also did James ; John C. and Saphronia C. are deceased ; Malinda is deceased ; Jacob F. is the next in order of birth; and Margaret A. and Albert C. were twins, the former being the wife of Philip Miller, of New Mexico, and the latter is deceased. Jacob F. Fudge resided with his parents until twenty-one years old and during the last three years of that period operated his father's farm on shares. Ile then worked for others until married, after which he rented land in Randolph county abont eighteen years." In 1903 he came to Wayne county and rented a farm in Webster township three years. Then, after a year's residence in the village of Webster, he purchased the farm of 109 acres where he now re- sides, and where he has since been engaged in general farming. On Dec. 19, 1885, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Fudge and Miss
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Carrie B. Miller, born in Randolph county, Dec. 23, 1865, daughter of John H. and Elizabeth (Clear) Miller. Four children were the issue of this marriage: Oliver E., born Jan. 17, 1888, married Miss Opal Hartup, resides in Richmond, and they have one child, Calvin W., born Dec. 12, 1907; Ada A., born Oct. 4, 1889, resides at the parental home, as do also Russell C., born Nov. 5, 1891, and Clar- ence ()., born Nov. 18, 1893. Mr. Fudge is a Democrat in politics. John 11. Miller, the father of Mrs. Fudge, was born in Preble coun- ty, Ohio, Feb. 28, 1832, and the mother was also born in Preble. county, Ohio, March 8, 1833. The father removed to Randolph county, Indiana, in early life, and there became a land-owner and lived the remainder of his days. He served with an Indiana regi- ment during the latter part of the Civil war and his feet were seri- ously injured by marching and exposure. He served one term as commissioner of Randolph county. He and his good wife were the parents of seven children : Margaret is deceased ; Angeline is the widow of Richard Brown and resides in Winchester; Mary Jane is deceased ; Philip married Margaret A. Fudge, a sister of the sub- ject of this review, and resides in the West; James R. is deceased ; Mrs. Fudge is the next in order of birth; and George is a farmer and resides in Randolph county.
Louis Homer Schepman, one of the representative citizens of Wayne county, for seven years maintained his home in the town- ship of Webster, where he conducted a fine farm of eighty-five acres which he operated in a general way, but is now a resident of Wayne township. Ile is another worthy representative of the sterling German families of the State of Indiana, where he has re- sided from the time of his birth, and has gained a position of inde- pendence through his own well directed endeavors. Mr. Schepman is a scion of staunch German stock in both the agnatic and ma- ternal lines. Ile is a native of Wayne county, born four miles south of Richmond, Jan. 23, 1870, a son of John Henry and Mary Eliza- beth (Veregge) Schepman, natives of the Empire of Germany, the former born in Hanover, May 20, 1822, and the latter in Osnabruck, Nov. 7, 1827. John H. Schepman learned the trade of a tailor with his wife's father, in Germany, serving an apprenticeship of four years, and followed that occupation in his native land one year longer. About 1840 he came to America and located at Cincinnati. Ohio, where he worked as a journeyman about four years and then engaged in business for himself. Ile remained in Cincinnati until about 1854, when he came to Richmond and engaged in the tailor- ing business, continuing so employed until 1869, when he moved to a farm south of that city. He followed agricultural pursuits six years and, in 1875, returned to Richmond, where he was engaged in the retail cigar and tobacco business about one year. Ile then re-engaged in the tailoring business, which he followed until his death, May 15, 1889, and his widow continued to reside in Richmond until her death, July 8. 1909. He was first a Republican, voting for Lincoln, but in later years became a Democrat, and he and his wife were German Lutherans in their religious views. They were the . parents of twelve children: Theodore and the second born both
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died in infancy; Elizabeth is the widow of William Koeppe and resides in Evanston, Ill. ; John Henry, Jr., died Jan. 8, 1910; George W. is engaged in the tailoring business in Richmond; Charles died at the age of four years ; Anna Mary Cornelia is the wife of J. Fred- erick Oesting, a grocer, of Richmond; Rosena is the wife of Charles 11. Knollenberg, a machinist, of Evanston, Ill .; Sarah Adeline is the wife of J. C. Slack, a barber, of Evanston, Ill. ; Oran F. and Mabel are deceased ; and Louis II. is the youngest. Louis H. Schepman was reared to the tailoring business and his educational advantages in his youth were those afforded by the schools of Richmond, sup- plemented by a course in a business school in that city. He con- tinned to devote his attention to the tailoring business, with his father and brother, from the age of fifteen years until 1901, serving in every department of that trade, and gained definite success through his indefatigable efforts and good management. In 19DI he engaged in the florist business at Richmond and remained so employed until Feb. 21, 1904, when his plant was burned. Hle then removed to Webster township, where he purchased a farm and de- voted his attention to general agricultural pursuits. He sold the farm in 1911 and has since resided on the David Sutton homestead. west of Richmond, on the National Road in Wayne township. . Is a' citizen he commands the esteem and good will of the community. lle is aligned as a stalwart supporter of the cause of the Republican party, and himself and family are members of the Friends' church. Ile is a member of Webb Lodge, No. 24. Free and Accepted Masons, at Richmond. On June 14, 1893, Mr. Schepman was united in mar- riage to Miss Jenna McDonald, born in Richmond, Nov. 24. 1860. a daughter of Michael and Anna ( Edwards ) McDonald, and of this union have been born four children-LeVern F., Arl McDonald. Vair Elizabeth, and Rhea Jennie. Michael McDonald, father of Mrs. Schepman, was an early resident of Richmond and received his education there. He joined the drum corps and served in the U'nion army during the Civil war, being under age at the time and running away from home to accomplish his desires. Ilis father. John McDonald, served four years in that conflict with a Richmond company. Michael McDonald died Jan. 1. 1910, at Dayton, Ohio, aged sixty-four years. To him and his wife were born three dangh- ters, two of whom died in infancy. The mother, Anna ( Edwards) McDonald, died in Richmond, Sept. 6. 1871, at the age of twenty- two years.
Horace H. Hunt, a leading farmer and representative citizen of the township of Webster, engaged in agricultural pursuits, is a scion of one of the honored pioneer families of Indiana. where his forebears took up their residence prior to the admission of the Territory to the Union. Horace Il. Hunt was born on a farm near where he resides, April 27, 1861, a son of Ammiel and Julia Elma (Swain) Hunt, born in Franklin township. Wayne county. Ammiel llunt was born in 1822 and in early life was a teacher, also worked on a farm at intervals. After his marriage he purchased a farm south of the village of Webster and resided there about a year and a half, at the end of which period he removed to a farm one mile
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north of the village. Later he purchased a farm adjoining, where his son Horace II. now resides, and resided there many years. Finally he purchased another farm adjoining and resided there until his death, at which time he owned 392 acres of land. He lived up to the full tension of the era and contributed his quota to the de- velopment and progress of what is now one of the most attractive and populous counties of the Hoosier commonwealth. Ile was a man of forceful individuality and sterling integrity, so that he not only gained a due measure of success through his arduous and well directed efforts but also held the unqualified confidence and respect of his fellow men. His name merits an enduring place on the roll of the earnest and worthy pioneers who figured as founders and upbuilders of a great and prosperous State. He continued to reside on his homestead farm until his death, Oct. 19, 1870. The mother of llorace 11. Hunt died Jan. 11, 1875. The father was twice mar- ried and Horace 11. is one of six children born of the second union, being the third in order of birth. He was reared under the invig- orating and sturdy discipline of the home farm, where he waxed strong in mind and body while thus gaining deep appreciation of the dignity and value of honest toil and endeavor. His educational advantages were those afforded in the common schools of his native township and in a Quaker school which his father had charge of in the village of Webster, and also took a course in the Richmond Business College. Ile continued to be actively and successfully identified with agricultural pursuits, working for others from the age of eighteen to twenty-five. He then went to Marshall county, Kansas, rented a farm and resided there four years, at the end of which time he returned to Wayne county and resided with his wife's father two years. He then moved to the village of Webster, where he purchased a lot containing two and one-half acres and resided there about four years, In 1896 he traded places with his wife's father and came to the farm where he resides and which contains ninety- nine acres. It is one of the best equipped farms in the township, a new barn having been erected in 1908, and in 1910 he erected one of the neatest and most modern dwellings in the community. Mr. Hunt is known as a citizen of marked loyalty and public spirit and shows a lively interest in all that tends to conserve the advance- ment and material prosperity of his home township and county. Ilis political support is given to the Democratic party and he and his wife are zealous members of the Quaker church. On Jan. 20, 1886, Mr. Hunt was united in marriage to Miss Lanra B. Palmer, born in Webster township, May 20, 1861, a daughter of Daniel and Martha (Smith) Palmer, early settlers of Wayne county, where the mother died March 7, 1904, and the father resides with the family of Mr. Hunt. Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Hunt were born five children : Floyd Il. married Miss Virgie Feasel, is a farmer, and resides in Boston township; Paul resides at the parental home, as do Harry and Helen. . Howard V., the first child, born Nov. 17, 1887, died May 5, 1888. Mr. Hunt is a member of Williamsburg Lodge, No. 493, Free and Accepted Masons, and of Webster Lodge, No. 371, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, having passed through
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the chairs of the local lodge of the last named organization. Daniel Palmer, father of Mrs. Hunt, was born in Virginia, Dec. 26, 1826, and the mother in Columbiana county, Ohio, Sept. 17, 1830. The father came with his parents to Indiana when three years old and the family settled near Centerville, where he grew to the age of maturity. He first worked for Norris Jones in a brick-yard, after which he was engaged with Thomas Gentry six years. He then came to Webster township ( then a portion of Green township) and purchased a farm, upon which he resided several years. In 1870 he came to the farm where Mr. Hunt resides, having purchased the place at a commissioners' sale, and resided there until 1894, when he removed to Webster, and since the death of his wife has lived with his children, of whom there are four: Elva C. is the wife of Benjamin G. Price, of Richmond; Arthur B. is a resident of the village of Webster (see sketch) ; Mrs. Hunt is the next in order of birth ; and Joseph W. is a farmer and resides in Webster township. . Francis D. Jay, who has long maintained his home in the town- ship of Webster, is one of the honored citizens of Wayne county, where his paternal grandparents took up their abode in the early history of Indiana and the family has since continned to reside. He was reared to manhood in and it has been his privilege to witness and aid in the development of this section, virtually on the frontier at the time when the family here located. IIe has made his life count for good in all its relations, has been progressive and public spirited, and has achieved a worthy success in temporal affairs, the while commanding the unequivocal confidence and esteem of his fellow men. In according recognition to such sterling citizens a publication of this nature exercises its supreme function. Mr. Jay was born in Webster township, Wayne county, Ang. 14, 1857, the eldest of the three sons of Henry and Alice ( Hollingsworth) Jay. born in Warren county, Ohio, the father on Aug. 31, 1813, and the mother on Feb. 28, 1838. Henry Jay came to Indiana when thirteen years old with his parents, who first located on the State line, near New Paris, Ohio, where the son grew to maturity. In early man- hood he removed to Webster township, became a land-owner, and there he and his devoted wife passed the residne of their lives. They bore the burdens and endured the vicissitudes common to the era in which they lived, showing courage and fortitude, laboring inde fatigably and eventually gaining reward for their earnest endeavors. Their lives were guided and governed by the highest principles of honor and integrity and they held at all times the implicit confi- dence and regard of the community in which they so long made their home. The father died in August, 1891, and the mother passed away in the winter of 1874. They were the parents of three chil- dren : Francis D. is the eldest : Dayton is deceased ; and William Il. IT. is a farmer and resides in Webster township. The father had been previously married three times, and of those unions were born six children, two of whom are living-Dewitt C. and Sarah J., the latter of whom is the wife of Lindley Bond, of Green township. Francis D. Jay passed his childhood days in Webster township, where he received his rudimentary education in the common schools,
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also attending one winter in Ohio. His services were early called into requisition in connection with the work of the home farm and his memory bears record of the strenuous toil involved in reclaim- ing land from the primeval forest. After he attatined years of ma- murity he initiated farming operations in an independent way, and thins his labors continued to be arduous and unceasing while gain- ing a "start in life" and proving his mettle as one of the world's noble army of workers. By every reason of energy, good judgment and consecutive application, his success was cumulative, and he has been in the most emphatic sense the maker of the competency which he enjoys at the present time, when the shadows of his life lengthen from the Golden West. He resided with his father until twenty years old and then worked for his grandfather one year, at the end of which time he returned to the parental home and worked his father's farm about five years. He then purchased a farm in Green township, where he resided about seven years and then moved back to Webster township and purchased the farm upon which he resides, consisting of ninety acres, which is devoted to general farming and stock-raising, in which line he has attained to a high reputation and made a distinctive success. Mr. Jay has never wav- ered in his allegiance to the cause of the Republican party. He is prominently identified with the Farmers' Mutual Protective Asso- ciation. On March 8, 1883, Mr. Jay was united in marriage to Miss Hannah Albertson, born at Green's Fork, Clay township, Feb. 18. 1856, a daughter of Elwood and Mary (Williams) Albertson, the former born in Clay township, Dec. 9. 1817, and the latter in Penn- sylvania, April 7, 1821. The father resided at the old Albertson homestead in Clay township until the death of his parents, when he became the owner of the farm and continued to reside thereon until his death, in 1885. His wife died in 1904, having remained on the old homestead several years and then removed to Green's Fork, where she died. They were the parents of four children : Oliver C. is living retired in Richmond; Mrs. Jay is the second in order of birth ; Albert R. is the present treasurer of Wayne county ; and Bailey is a carpenter and resides in San Francisco. Mr. and Mrs. Jay became the parents of two children : Herschel, born March 16, 1884, died on Sept. 10 of the same year ; and Herbert, born May 11, 1885, resides on his father's farm and operates heavy machinery, threshing machinery, etc. He married Harriet Snyder, born in Richmond, Feb. 18, 1889, and they have a child, Elizabeth Evelin, born June 2. 1908. Mrs. Francis D. Jay is a member of the Ladies' Aid Society and she and her husband are birthright members of the Friends' church.
Arthur B. Palmer is known as one of the representative busi- ness men of Wayne county and his popularity is measured only by the circle of his acquaintances. He conducts a prosperous coal, tile, and fertilizer business in the village of Webster and is the owner of a valuable farm which has been nicely improved through his able and discriminating supervision and control. Mr. Palmer finds a due measure of pride and satisfaction in referring to the old Hoosier State as the place of nativity. He was born in Web-
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ster township, one mile north of the village of Webster, Sept. 3, 1858, a son of Daniel and Martha (Smith) Palmer (see sketch of Horace H. Hunt). Arthur B. Palmer passed his boyhood and youth on the homestead farm in Webster township and there received his preliminary educational training in the public schools and in the old Quaker school in the village of Webster. At the age of twenty-one years he began his independent career, though he worked for his father two years after reaching his majority. He then rented land of his father two years, after which he removed to near Green's Fork, where he lived on a farm one year. He then re- turned to Webster township and rented his grandfather's farm a period of six years, at the end of which time he purchased a part of the place, consisting of thirty-five acres, to which he added from time to time until he now owns 150 acres. He resided on his farm until 1907, when he took up his residence in the village of Webster, where he has since maintained his home, having gained independence and definite success through his own well directed efforts. As before stated, he is engaged in the coal, tile, and fer- tilizer business, and in this controls a large and representative patronage. By fair dealing and unfailing courtesy he has gained a secure hold upon the confidence and esteem of the people of the community, and thus the success of his business enterprise has been cumulative. He is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, having passed through the chairs of the local or- ganization, Webster Lodge, No. 371, and he and Mrs. Palmer are members of Rebekah Lodge, No. 594. The local camp of the Re- publican party finds one of its loyal members in the person of Mr. Palmer, and he is now township chairman of the Republican Central Committee. He and his wife are members of the Friends' church. Sept. 13, 1881, recorded the marriage of Mr. Palmer to Miss Louisa C. Bond, born near Green's Fork, this county, March 10, 1859. She is a daughter of John and Thomzy Ann (Chees- man) Bond, both of whom died in Clay township. John Bond was born near Green's Fork, March 8, 1828, a son of Robert and Rachel (Thornburgh) Bond, and lived his entire life in Clay township. He was one of the leading farmers of this section of the county and held the unequivocal regard of all who knew him. The mother of Mrs. Palmer was born in Center township, Oct. 22, 1835, and died Sept. 15, 1873. She was a daughter of Ebenezer and Jane (Culbertson) Cheesman, early settlers in Center township, this county. Mr. Cheesman was one of the leading farmers of his time, was very prompt in all his dealings and well respected by all who knew him. On Oct. 5, 1875, John Bond was married to Malissa A. Stiggleman, daughter of Jolin Stiggleman, of Henry county, Indiana, and she, with their son, Lawrence, and daughter, Marie H., resides at the old homestead in Clay township. The father passed away Feb. 13, 1895. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur B. Palmer became the parents of a son, Clarent Louis, born May 7, 1886. Ilis boyhood days were spent with his parents on the farm where he now resides. He received his education in the Webster school, graduating in the common school in 1901, and completing the four
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years' high school course in 1905. On Sept. 6, 1905, he was mar- ried to Mary Elizabeth Crawford, born March 10, 1887, a daughter of Charles and Emily (Snyder) Crawford, of Wayne township, this county. Clarent L. Palmer took the commercial course at the Rich- mond Business College, and after a few months spent in Rich- mond they returned to the old homstead, in November, 1907, and there he is engaged in farming and the breeding of nne Duroc hogs and Barred Plymouth Rock chickens. They have two chil- dren : Dudley Clarent, born July 24, 1906, and Lester Crawford, born June 23, 1908. Clarent L. Palmer is a member of Webster Lodge, No. 371, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, having passed through the chairs of that organization, and he and his wife are members of the Webster lodge of Rebekahs, she having passed through the chairs of that order. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur B. Palmer are prominent in the social life of the community and their house is known for its gracious hospitality.
Elijah Cooper, a retired farmer of Webster, is one of the representative men of that thriving village and is a member of one of the honored pioneer families of Butler county, Ohio, being a scion of the third generation. Mr. Cooper was born on a farm in Preble county, Ohio, and the date of his nativity is March 25. 1840. He is a son of William and Elizabeth (Kellum) Cooper, the former born in Butler county, Ohio, and the latter in Preble county, in the same State. The father devoted practically his entire life to agricultural pursuits, in connection with which he attained to a due measure of success, and died in August, 1875, in Butler county, Ohio, where he was the owner of a valuable farm. The mother died about 1891, and they were the parents of four chil- dren : Jonathan was killed by a saw-log when about fourteen years old; Sarah Jane became the wife of Milton Stubbs and resided in Kansas, where she died in 1910; Esther is the widow of Joseph Stubbs and resides in Preble county, Ohio; and Elijah is the young- est. Elijah passed his boyhood days on the home farm and his educational training was secured in the public schools of Preble and Butler counties, Ohio. He resided at home until twenty- three years old and then engaged in farming on a place given him by his father, in Butler county, Ohio, and there resided six years. He then rented that farm out and purchased another in the same county, upon which place he resided three years, and removed to Wayne county, Indiana, and located just west of Richmond, where he resided two years, having disposed of his Butler county farm. He then removed to Preble county, Ohio, where he purchased a farm and resided eight years, at the end of which time he removed to Trenton, Butler county, Ohio, where he purchased another farm. He resided there nine years and then removed to Eaton, in the same county, where he lived retired about six months, and then moved again to Wayne county, Indiana, locating four miles southeast of Richmond. He resided at this place three years and then purchased a farm in New Garden township, where he resided nine years, after which he sold his farm and removed to the village of Webster. Later, he purchased a farm three miles northwest
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